CVE-2026-97537
Received Received - Intake

Memory Leak in Linux Kernel qla2xxx Driver

Vulnerability report for CVE-2026-97537, including description, CVSS score, EPSS score, affected products, exploitability, helpful resources, and attack-flow context.

Publication date: 2026-09-25

Last updated on: 2026-09-25

Assigner: kernel.org

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: scsi: qla2xxx: Fix queue teardown NULL dma_free and bitmap locking qla25xx_free_req_que() and qla25xx_free_rsp_que() have two pre-existing bugs exposed on the error path of qla25xx_create_{req,rsp}_que(): 1. When dma_alloc_coherent() fails during queue creation, the error path calls the free function with req->ring / rsp->ring still NULL (from kzalloc). The unconditional dma_free_coherent() with a NULL cpu_addr is undefined behavior and can panic. 2. The free functions clear req_qid_map / rsp_qid_map under vport_lock, but the create functions protect the same bitmaps with mq_lock. This provides no mutual exclusion. Additionally, the create error path clears the bit and releases mq_lock before calling the free function, creating a window where another thread can allocate the same que_id and have its ha->req_q_map entry clobbered by the subsequent lockless NULL assignment in the free function. Fix by: - Guarding dma_free_coherent() with a NULL check on the ring pointer. - Using mq_lock (the lock held by all creators) in the free functions to atomically NULL the map entry and clear the bitmap bit. - Removing the now-redundant clear_bit blocks from the create error paths since the free functions handle it atomically.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-09-25
Last Modified
2026-09-25
Generated
2026-09-25
AI Q&A
2026-09-25
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
EUVD

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel *

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability is in the Linux kernel's SCSI driver for QLogic Fibre Channel adapters. It involves incorrect cleanup during queue teardown in the qla2xxx driver. Two bugs exist: first, calling dma_free_coherent on a null pointer during error handling, which can cause undefined behavior like a system panic. Second, improper locking between queue creation and teardown allows race conditions where queue IDs can be reused incorrectly.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's qla2xxx SCSI driver and requires kernel-level inspection. Detection involves checking kernel logs for errors related to qla2xxx queue teardown or NULL pointer dereferences in DMA operations. Use commands like dmesg | grep qla2xxx or journalctl -k | grep qla2xxx to search for relevant errors.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this could cause system crashes or instability due to null pointer dereferencing in DMA operations. It may also lead to data corruption or unauthorized access if an attacker manipulates queue ID reuse through race conditions. Systems using QLogic Fibre Channel adapters with affected Linux kernels are at risk.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest kernel update that includes the fix for this CVE. If immediate patching is not possible, consider disabling the qla2xxx driver if not in use. Monitor kernel logs for any signs of exploitation or errors related to queue teardown.

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